- Joined
- Mar 3, 2008
- Messages
- 1,341
http://www.wikihow.com/Reuse-an-Empty-Altoids-Tin
Hacks
1. Make a guitar out of it.[1] Yes, you can actually play it!
2. Make a pintoid camera--a pinhole camera with the Altoids tin as the casing.[2]
3.
An iPod charger.
An iPod charger.
Build an external battery pack for your iPod.[3]
4. Make an iPod shuffle case from a chewing gum tin. A hole can be made for the headphone cord.[4]
5.
Ready to drill for connections.
Ready to drill for connections.
Use Altoids tins as cases for electronics. House any small electronic projects that fit.
6. Build a computer power supply tester according to our instructions here.
7. Make a crystal radio inside the tin.[5]
8. Convert it into a USB drive.[6][7]
9. Make a vibrobot. With a recycled motor, a hanger, some wire and a bit of hot glue, you can make a little vibrating robot that wiggles and moves on the floor.[8]
10. Make your own mp3 player[9]. It's an ambitious project, but if you're handy with electronics, give it a try.
Art
1. Decorate the tin. Depending on your purpose and project, you may wish to paint over the graphics, or remove the existing paint with paint remover or sandpaper.
2. You can use polymer clay to embellish the tin, such as giving it legs so it looks like a little table, or a handle so it looks like a little luggage.[10]
3. Try copper plating and etching the tin. You can use magazine pages as cheap toner transfer media, etch the tins with salt water solution, and/or copper plate the tin with an electric current.[11]
4.
Altoids art
Altoids art
Create miniature works of art. You can attach magnets to the tin and display them on any metal surface.
5. Make a pocket craft kit with just enough of your preferred supplies to keep you busy if you find yourself waiting.
6. Make a travel sewing kit. Collect a miniature pair of scissors, a couple of spare buttons, safety pins, needles, and thread in the colors you wear regularly (black, white, tan, dark blue, and red are common colors. Carry it with you in your purse, car, or travel kit, or leave it in a desk drawer or locker at work.
7. Make a pocket sized drawing kit. Never be without a pencil and notebook.
8. Make a pocket sized paint box. Put clay in the tin and make several indentations and bake to harden the clay. Put paint (watercolor, acrylic) in each indentation. Pack a mini paintbrush and you're all set to go.[12]
Survival & Emergencies
1. Make a survival kit.[13]
2. Store your bicycle tire patch kit in an Altoids tin. The tire levers may have to live outside the tin, but it's about the right size for a few patches, a tube of adhesive, a rasp or bit of sandpaper, and a bit of chalk (good for marking a puncture once you find it).
3. Make a fire starting kit.
4. Make a mini first aid kid. Add band-aids, alcohol pads, anti-bacterial ointment, and tweezers (in case of splinters).
5. Turn it into a portable eye care kit if you wear contact lenses. Put a little bottle of eye drops in there, along with a contact lens case filled with solution in case your eyes become irritated and you need to take your contacts out. Pack a hand wipe in there, too, so you can clean your hands before touching your eyes.
6. Create a stomach ache kit. Add some stomach soothing medication in the form of chewable tablets, antacid tablets, anti-diarrhea tablets, motion sickness medication, ginger candy, and a little bit of loose tea.
Miscellaneous
1. Use Altoids tins to organize screws, beads, or any other small items.
2.
Mini cards in a gum tin
Mini cards in a gum tin
Carry and collect business cards or mini cards.
3.
A geocache
A geocache
Create a geocache or mini time capsule using the tin as a container.
4. Turn it into a personal postage assistant. With two tins, you can make a kit that includes a scale, lets you know how much postage you'll need, and dispenses stamps.[14]
5. Use the tin as your wallet.
6. Make an eyeshadow and/or lipstick kit, using the same instructions as with making a watercolor paint kit.[12]
7. Make a pocket sized religious or spiritual shrine. Fill it with little tokens that represent your beliefs, like pictures or miniature statues of a religious leader or deity[15] If you're Buddhist, you can make a prayer wheel:
Hacks
1. Make a guitar out of it.[1] Yes, you can actually play it!
2. Make a pintoid camera--a pinhole camera with the Altoids tin as the casing.[2]
3.
An iPod charger.
An iPod charger.
Build an external battery pack for your iPod.[3]
4. Make an iPod shuffle case from a chewing gum tin. A hole can be made for the headphone cord.[4]
5.
Ready to drill for connections.
Ready to drill for connections.
Use Altoids tins as cases for electronics. House any small electronic projects that fit.
6. Build a computer power supply tester according to our instructions here.
7. Make a crystal radio inside the tin.[5]
8. Convert it into a USB drive.[6][7]
9. Make a vibrobot. With a recycled motor, a hanger, some wire and a bit of hot glue, you can make a little vibrating robot that wiggles and moves on the floor.[8]
10. Make your own mp3 player[9]. It's an ambitious project, but if you're handy with electronics, give it a try.
Art
1. Decorate the tin. Depending on your purpose and project, you may wish to paint over the graphics, or remove the existing paint with paint remover or sandpaper.
2. You can use polymer clay to embellish the tin, such as giving it legs so it looks like a little table, or a handle so it looks like a little luggage.[10]
3. Try copper plating and etching the tin. You can use magazine pages as cheap toner transfer media, etch the tins with salt water solution, and/or copper plate the tin with an electric current.[11]
4.
Altoids art
Altoids art
Create miniature works of art. You can attach magnets to the tin and display them on any metal surface.
5. Make a pocket craft kit with just enough of your preferred supplies to keep you busy if you find yourself waiting.
6. Make a travel sewing kit. Collect a miniature pair of scissors, a couple of spare buttons, safety pins, needles, and thread in the colors you wear regularly (black, white, tan, dark blue, and red are common colors. Carry it with you in your purse, car, or travel kit, or leave it in a desk drawer or locker at work.
7. Make a pocket sized drawing kit. Never be without a pencil and notebook.
8. Make a pocket sized paint box. Put clay in the tin and make several indentations and bake to harden the clay. Put paint (watercolor, acrylic) in each indentation. Pack a mini paintbrush and you're all set to go.[12]
Survival & Emergencies
1. Make a survival kit.[13]
2. Store your bicycle tire patch kit in an Altoids tin. The tire levers may have to live outside the tin, but it's about the right size for a few patches, a tube of adhesive, a rasp or bit of sandpaper, and a bit of chalk (good for marking a puncture once you find it).
3. Make a fire starting kit.
4. Make a mini first aid kid. Add band-aids, alcohol pads, anti-bacterial ointment, and tweezers (in case of splinters).
5. Turn it into a portable eye care kit if you wear contact lenses. Put a little bottle of eye drops in there, along with a contact lens case filled with solution in case your eyes become irritated and you need to take your contacts out. Pack a hand wipe in there, too, so you can clean your hands before touching your eyes.
6. Create a stomach ache kit. Add some stomach soothing medication in the form of chewable tablets, antacid tablets, anti-diarrhea tablets, motion sickness medication, ginger candy, and a little bit of loose tea.
Miscellaneous
1. Use Altoids tins to organize screws, beads, or any other small items.
2.
Mini cards in a gum tin
Mini cards in a gum tin
Carry and collect business cards or mini cards.
3.
A geocache
A geocache
Create a geocache or mini time capsule using the tin as a container.
4. Turn it into a personal postage assistant. With two tins, you can make a kit that includes a scale, lets you know how much postage you'll need, and dispenses stamps.[14]
5. Use the tin as your wallet.
6. Make an eyeshadow and/or lipstick kit, using the same instructions as with making a watercolor paint kit.[12]
7. Make a pocket sized religious or spiritual shrine. Fill it with little tokens that represent your beliefs, like pictures or miniature statues of a religious leader or deity[15] If you're Buddhist, you can make a prayer wheel:
